Centering uncoupling device.



J. J. COOPER. CENTERING UNCOU PLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.19. 1911.

,441706. Patented 001;. 30,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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[/2 Z2677 for James J Cooper J. J. COOPER.

CENTERING UNCOUPLING DEV'CE.

APPLlCAHON FILED JAN.19. 1917.

1,2443%, Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

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rrno STATES rare OFFIOE.

JAMES J'. COOPER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CENTERING UNCOUIPLING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. COOPER, residing at city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centering Uncoupling Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention; though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a plan view illustrating a portion of the end of a car and showing my centering uncoupling device mounted thereon; Fig. 2 is princlpally a front elevation of the uncoupling device illustrated in Fig. 1 applied to the end sill of the car, portions being shown in section including the shank of a coupler and the centering cams being shown in their normal positions;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section longitudinally of the car through the end portion of the underframe thereof and is taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the centering uncoupling device applied to the end sill of the car, parts being shown in section approximately on the line '14 of Fig. 3, but showing the condition of the parts when one of the centering cams has been operated and the other held from operation due to the lateral shifting of the coupler;

Fi 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, except that 0th of the centering cams have been fully operated and the coupler is shown as being rigidly held for cooperation with another coupler;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section longitudinally of the end portion of the underframe of the car, being taken substantially on the line I 66 of Fig. 4 and showing the coupler lock as having been operated to unlock the coupler;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, being taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5 and shows the coupler look as being set in position to Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 19, 1917. Serial No. 143,312.

be operated by the impact of another coupler with the illustrated coupler;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the rotatable cams;

Fig. 9 is a view of the same at a right angle thereto; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 4: but illustrating a modified form of the centering uncoupling device.

The present invention relates to the coupling and uncoupling of railway cars, and means have been provided whereby this may be accomplished with facility, irrespective of whether the cars of the train are on a straight or curved track. \I

A further purpose is to incl e means for centering the couplers carried by opposing car ends and for holding such .couplers against displacement, so that, when the cars .pact of the couplers as they engage to prevent the separation of the couplers there after. and it is an object of this invention to afiiliate means for operating the coupler I locks, in a manner to uncouple the cars, with the coupler-centering mechanism.

A single operating means for both the coupler centering mechanism and the means for operating the coupler look at each car end is contemplated. Such common operating means may be operable from the side of the car, rendering it unnecessary for the trainmen to go between the car ends, thereby avoiding what is recognized as a serious danger.

Despite the common operating means for both the coupler lock and the coupler centering mechanism, either the lock or centering mechanism is operable independently of the other, or both may be operated by a single manipulation of the common operating means.

Other features of novelty becoming apparent hereinafter are, of course, to be understood as coming within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the drawings, 1 represents a channelshaped car end sill to which the outer ends of draft sills 2 are secured by connection angles or other suitable means. A striking plate, generally indicated as 3, is provided with an upper portion 4 secured as by rivets to the end sill 1, a portion of striking plate 3 adjacent the bottom of its attachment por-.

tipln 4 lying on the bottom flange of end s' 1.

Striking plate 3 is also provided with wings 5 which project rearwardly alongside the outer ends of draft sills 2, and which are riveted or otherwise secured thereto. Projecting outwardly from the end sill 1 are striking-plate inner side walls 6 which extend below end sill 1 in advance of the lower portions of the draft sills 2. Lying outside of striking plate side walls 6 are anular-shaped portions 7 that extend to the ateral limits of striking plate 3, portions of the angular members 7 forming down-turned flanges.

Depending from the angular portions 7 of striking plate 3 are spaced inner and outer wings 8 and 8', respectively. The lower' ends of striking plate side Walls 6 are recessed to receive a carry-iron 9 which is secured in place, after being mounted in striking plate 3, by a through bolt 10.

A space is, therefore, formed between the inner Walls 6 0f the striking plate 3 and above carry-iron 9, through which a shank of the car coupler 11 extends, said shank bein adapted to. shift laterally between striking plate side walls 6.

Pivot pins 12 lie just outside of striking plate inner side walls 6 and find bearings in the wings 8 and 8, which are positioned one in advance of the other. As shown in Fig. 3, striking plate attachment wings 5 are recessed at 13 to accommodate the inner ends of pivotal pins 12 and a cotter pin 14 or other means, is passed through those ends of pins 12 to prevent the withdrawal of the pins. Rotatively mounted upon pins 12 are centering cams 15, which normally lie in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby allowing the coupler shank 11 to have free lateral play Within the striking plate. Cams 15 are each provided with; apertures 12 for the passage of pins 12 and have outwardly extending lever arms containing elongated apertures, said cams also being provided with a web 17 connecting the sides 18 of the cam. Web 17 is given on its outer face, a cam surface adapted to engage the coupler shank 11. Passing through elongated apertures 16 in each cam 15 is a connection pin 19 which also extends through the lower end of a cam actuating link 20, the pins 19 being provided with cotters to insure the connection between the cams 15 and the actuating links 20.

As shown in Fig. 2, a cam and its actuating link 20 is located oneach side of the striking plate 3, the inner side walls 6 of which are provided with openings 21 through which the cams 15 may pass to encounter the coupler shank 11. V Cam actuating links 20 extend upwardly any suitable distance and are apertured at their upper ends, an equalizing lever 22 extending between the pair of cam-actuating links and having pivotal and rockable connection with each.

Equalizing lever 22 is preferably T-shaped and the bar forming the head of the T extends through the apertured upper ends of cam-actuating links 20 and is held from separation therefrom b cotter pins or other suitable means. Said -head forming-bar is also provided with a strengthening rib 24. A central leg 23 of the T-shaped equalizing lever projects forwardly from striking plate 3 for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

An uncoupllng lever 25 extends parallel with the end sill 1 of the car underframe and toward and approximately to the side of the car. Uncoupling lever 25 may be mounted in any suitable manner, but is shown as being seated in a pair of bearin brackets 26 mounted on top of the end sil 1. The arrangement is such that uncoupling lever 25 is held securely in place bv cotter pins or other means projecting throng the lever-receiving 'ortions of brackets 26 and over the uncoup ing lever 25, and it will further be noted that the lever is so bent that there is no longitudinal, but only rotative movement of uncoupling lever 25, which is provided with an operatin handle 27 near the car side. Inner end 0 uncoupling lever 25 is bent outwardly an appropriate distance parallel with equalizing lever central arm 23, thereafter being formed into a loop surrounding equalizing lever arm 23. Where this connection is made between the inner end of uncoupling lever arm 25 and the central arm 23 of equalizing lever 22, said arm 23 is bent upwardly, whereby the theoretical center line of the arm 23 and the pivotal point of loop 28 thereon is preserved.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of the arm 23 of equalizing lever 22 has a clevis 29 pivotally mounted thereon. A coupler pin or link 30 is also depicted as projecting above the coupler head 31 and is also provided With a clevis 32 which is connected with clevis 29, carried by arm 23, by a link 33.

In Fig. 3 the operating handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 is shown as depending vertically and it will readily be appreciated that when handle 27 is rotated clockwise to substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 6, the inner end of uncoupling lever 25 will raise its loop 28. What will result, depends upon the conditions prevailing in coupler head 31 as a result of its connection with another-coupler carried by an opposing car end. Ordinarily, the resistance to the withdrawal of lock pin 30 will be greater than that to the operation of the centering cams 15. In any case, equalizing lever 22 will be operated by the looped end 28 of uncoupling lever 25, and the resistance in the centering mechanism being least, equalizing lever 22 will be raised to draw cam-actuating links 20 upwardly. This results in an upward pull on pins 19 that connect the lower ends of cam-actuating links 20 with the cams15, rotating the cams from their normal positions illustrated in Fig. 2 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 5. If the coupler shank 11 is not already centered, the cams will so position it.

As seen in Fig. 5, after the cams have centered coupler shank 11, they are in proximity to the bottom edges of the openings 21 and are incapable of further rotation downwardly and, therefore, the handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 being held in the position illustrated in Fig. 6, the coupler shank 11 is definitely held against lateral displacement and the coupler is in the proper position for attachment to the coupler carried by the opposing end of another car.

If the opposing cars are already coupled and it is desired to separate the couplers, substantially the same action as has been described will take place, it being immaterial whether the couplers of the cars are centered or not, and the continued pull on' handle 27 will cause the arm 23 of equalizing lever 22 to draw the coupler pin or lock member 30 upwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 6. I

It frequently occurs that connected cars of a train are standing on a curved track in which case the canting of the cars and the automatic adjustment of the couplers to the positions of the cars they connect, carries the coupler and its shank 11 to one side of the passage in striking plate 3 through which the coupler extends, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 10.

It being desired to uncouple cars when the coupler shanks are in the positions indicated in said figures, the handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 is turned clockwise, raising loop 28 at the inner end of the uncoupling lever, as before. Coupler shank 11 will hold the cam 15 at the right in Fig. 4 against operation and equalizing lever 22 will be canted upwardly toward the left as the uncoupling lever raises said equalizing lever. The left-hand cam-actuating link 20 will be operated as previously described, causing the cam 15 with which it is associated to swing into the passage in striking plate 3 that is occupied by coupler shank 11. No effect, at this time, is had upon the coupler by the centering mechanism, but a continued clockwise rotation of handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 will further raise the outstanding arm 23 of the equalizer 22, thereby elevating locking member 30 of the coupler and efi'ecting the uncoupling of adjacent cars. When; it is desired to also effect a centering of coupler shank 11, after the cars have been uncoupled on a curve, a continued rotation of handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 will cause the right-hand cam 15 in Fig. 4 to be moved inwardly, driving coupler shank 11 toward the opposing cam 15 on the opposite side of the striking plate until said coupler shank 11 is centered again, as shown in Fig. 5.

Instances are constantly occurring, of course, where the cars are not yet coupled, but are soon intended to be. In the automatic impact-operated couplers, intended to be indicated in the drawings, it is customary to raise the lock member 30 to a certain position where it will remain until the associated coupler strikes the illustrated coupler a blow, said lock member 30 then dropping downwardly as a result of the impact and locking the couplers against separation.

When it is so desired to set lock member 30, the operating handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 is turned clockwise, causing arm 23 of equalizing lever 22 to rise a sufficient distance to straighten the clevises and link and to raise coupler lock member 30. Thereafter, said coupler lock member 30 may be allowed to settle to the position ini dicated in Fig. 7, whereupon it will be set in its usual manner, and arm 23 of equalizing lever 22 and operating handle 27 of uncoupling lever 25 may be allowed to drop to their normal positions.

A modified form of the device is illus trated in Fig. 10 in which the construction is much the same as in the form previously described, except that the carry-iron 9 is recessed in its horizontal portion in addition to the striking plate side walls 6 being recessed, and formed on the lower ends of actuating links 20 are cam-like wedges 34. Side walls 6 of striking plate 3 are also provided with upper and lower portions which are'staggered with reference to each other and between which the actuating links 20 are adapted to slide vertically.

When the cam-like wedges are in their normal positions, they occupy locations similar to that shown at the right in Fig. 10, where they do not materially project into the passage through which the coupler shank 11 extends in the striking plate 3.

.When the wedge-like cams 34 are in posireadily be understood that the same conditions and positions prevail in the form illustrated in Fig. 10 as those which exist in the preceding form, the devices of 'Fig. 10 being capable of doing all that those of Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive are capable of.

In either of the forms it will be noted that the centering devices move inwardly into the passage in which the coupler shank 11 is normally free to shift laterally. They also reduce the space in which the coupler shank is adapted to shift so that it is incapable of lateral play.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a conpler lock, of coupler-centering mechanism, and an uncoupling lever operable to actuate said mechanism and lock during a single actuation of itself.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a coupler having a coupler lock, of coupler-centering mechanism, and an uncoupling lever adapted to actuate said mechanism and lock by a single type of movement.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a conpler lock adapted to be set for automatic locking with another coupler, of couplercentering means including a member connected with said lock, the coupler being adapted to bear against the centering portion of said means to resist movement thereof more than the lock resists said member, and an uncoupling lever operable at such times to actuate said member to set the lock without causing said centering portion to function.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a coupler lock, of connected lock actuating means and coupler-centering mechanism including an equalizer, and an uncoupling lever connected with said equalizer and adapted during a single movement to actuate said equalizer to cause it to operate said means and mechanism.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler, of coupler-centering means normally permitting free play of the coupler and control means for said centering means operable by a single operation to drive the latter means toward opposite sides of the coupler to hold said coupler against material lateral movement.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a conpler lock, of coupler-centering means normally permitting free play of the coupler and a control means therefor controlling the lock and adapted to operate said centering means to cause the same to hold said coupler centered against material lateral movement.

7'. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a coupler lock, of coupler-centering means comprising coupler-shifting devices normally permitting free coupler movement and a member connected to the lock and rockable from either of its ends, and control means to rock said member in accordance with unbalanced resistance at its opposite ends, said member when rocked from one end operating said devices to center and so hold said coupler and when rocked from the other end operating said lock.

8. In a device 'of the class described, the combination with a coupler, of coupler-positioning members, mounting means therefor and means for operating said members to laterally position the coupler, said members reacting from said mounting means to hold the coupler against displacement from that position.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler, of suitably mounted and spaced members and means operable from the side of a car to bring said members into space-reducing relation to position the coupler laterally and to positively maintain the coupler so positioned, said means being operable to permit the coupler to have free play.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler, of a striking plate having a passage through which sai coupler extends, coupler-centering means mounted on the striking plate movable to reduce the width of its passage to center the coupler and hold it centered and operating means for said centering means adapted to arrange the latter to permit the coupler to have free lateral movement.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler, of a striking plate through which the coupler extends, coupler-centering devices movably mounted on opposite sides of said striking plate, an equalizer connecting said centering devices and operating means adapted to actuate said equalizer to cause said centering devices to center the coupler.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car and a. coupler carried thereby, of a striking plate through which the coupler extends and in which it shifts laterally, coupler-centering devices movably mounted at opposite sides of said striking plate, an equalizer connecting said centering devices and means operable near a side of the car adapted to actuate said equalizer and cause it to operate either or both of said centering devices to shift said coupler,,said devices co-acting to position the coupler laterally.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a coupler lock, of a striking plate through which the coupler extends and shifts in laterally, coupler-centering devices operably mounted at opposite sides of said striking plate, an equalizing lever connecting said centering devices and connected with the coupler lock, and an uncoupling lever adapted to actuate said equalizing lever to operate said centering devices to laterally position the coupler and also to operate the coupler lock.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler adapted to shift laterally and having a. coupler lock, of coupler-centering devices suitably mounted on opposite sides of the coupler. an equalizing lever connected to said devices and the coupler lock, and an uncoupling lever adapted to actuate said equalizing lever to operate 'said centering devices and the lzoulpler lock, or either of said devices or the 15. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler, of spaced suitably mounted coupler-centering devices between which the coupler is adapted to shift and means controlling said centering-devices adapted to cause them to center the coupler and to reduce the space between themselves to unyieldingly position the coupler.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination with a coupler having a coupler lock, of spaced suitably mounted couplen centering devices between which the coupler is adapted to shift, a tri-pointed equalizing lever connected with said centering-devices and coupler lock, and an uncoupling lever connected with said equalizing lever adapted to cause the latter to operate said centeringdevices and lock simultaneously or independently.

17. In a device of the. class described, the combination with a car end sill and a coupler, of a striking plate secured to the end sill and through which the coupler extends to shift laterally therein, cams mounted on opposite sides of said striking plate, cam-actuating links, an equalizer connecting said links and an uncoupling lever adapted to actuate said equalizer to cause said cams to center the coupler.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car end sill and a coupler,

' of a striking plate connected to the end sill,

a carry-iron secured thereto and forming therewith a passage in which the coupler is adapted to shift laterally, cams mounted on opposite sides of the striking plate normally not materially entering said passage, camactuating links, an equalizer articulated with said links, and an uncoupling lever operable to actuate said equalizer to cause said cams to project into said passage to center and definitely hold the coupler.

19. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car and a coupler having a coupler lock, of a striking plate secured to the car end, a carry-iron combined with said striking plate to form a passage for the coupler in which it is adapted to shift laterally, cams mounted on opposite sides of said striking plate normally not materially entering said passage, ca-nractuating' links, an equalizing lever connecting said links and connected to the coupler lock, and an uncoupling lever operable from the car side and adapted to actuate said equalizing lever to cause said cams to project into said passage to center and definitely hold the coupler and also to simultaneously or independently actuate the coupler lock.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR HOGHBERG, J. B. HERMAN. 

